Microsoft does not display older versions on the main download page. You will not find 16.5.3 by simply Googling "Download SSMS." You have to dig into the Microsoft Download Center archives.
However, for day-to-day development on modern SQL Servers, do yourself a favor and grab the latest release.
Fixed a bug where the "Open Recent" menu failed to display recently saved files.
If you are a database administrator or a .NET developer, you know the drill. You fire up SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), and immediately a notification pops up: ssms 16.5.3 download
Addressed performance slowdowns when right-clicking table indexes over remote connections.
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) , released on January 30, 2017, is the final update for the SSMS 2016 generation. Download Information
Here is the official content and guidance for downloading (SQL Server Management Studio). Microsoft does not display older versions on the
You can download the official installer directly from Microsoft's archive or reputable build repositories: SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe (898 MB)
In today’s post, we are looking back at this specific release. Why is version 16.5.3 still in demand, where can you safely download it, and should you stick with the past or move to the modern 19.x/20.x releases?
Latest SSMS supports:
Modern SSMS versions (18.x and newer) have grown in size and complexity. They rely on newer versions of the Visual Studio shell. SSMS 16.5.3 is often perceived as snappier and lighter on older hardware, making it a favorite for quick installations on virtual machines or older admin workstations.
✅ https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=842946 (This link points to the official Microsoft CDN for SSMS 16.5.3)